Barça Femini, Spain’s most successful women’s football team is facing one of the most difficult periods in its history. Having recently won the 2024-2025 Liga F, the national title, the team suffered a 1-0 loss against the mighty Arsenal at the UEFA Champions League final, back in May 2025.
Off the pitch, the team has been drowning under financial troubles and LaLiga’s salary regulations, forcing several key players to depart, leaving the squad dangerously short of players ahead of the new season.
According to a report by El Periódico, Barça Femini requires nearly €1 million to balance its accounts. It also stated that despite several wage-cuts and selling of players, the club is yet to meet its desired target which means there could be more departures.
According to a report by SheKicks several key players have left the side already. This includes Norwegian midfielder Engen who joined Lyon, England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck who moved to Aston Villa, Swedish forward Fridolina Rolfö who is considering an offer from Malmö,Bruna Vilamala who transferred to Club América in Mexico and Martina Fernández who signed a deal with Everton. Additionally, the Spaniard Jana Fernández, who has been with the club for almost half a life also departed to join London City Lionnesses.Young reserve players like Judit Pujols, Meritxell Munoz, Onyeka Gamero and Ona Baradad, have also left the club in search of better offers elsewhere.
Laia Bonals reported via X that after these departures, the squad will start the season with just 17 first-team players, further raising doubts about depth and competitiveness in the club as new players are not being signed to replace the players who have left.
The club’s financial struggles however have been compounded due to LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play(FFP) rules which combine the budgets of men’s women’s and youth teams. The FFP is in place to enforce strict financial constraints to avoid teams from going into debt due to overspending, which has been a common issue among football teams. Therefore, under these regulations the women’s team signing any new deal or contract against the men’s budget, limits the club’s ability to offer competitive contracts to crucial players like Mapi León, Alexis Putellas Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Caroline Graham Hansen, and Salma Paralluelo, all of whom will end their contracts with the club in 2026.
In an attempt to gain autonomy from this budget structure, the club has reportedly requested La Liga to separate the women’s and youth teams’ budgets from the men’s side. The separation of budget could give both the men and women’s team enough flexibility to retain talent and also offer competitive contracts to buy new players and strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.
Despite the challenges, Barcelona Femení’s domestic record remains impressive. The team secured the Liga F title, Copa de la Reina, and Supercopa de España last season, completing a domestic treble. However, the current crisis and a squad lacking key players cast a doubt on Barca’s long-term future and its ability to maintain this dominance.
With the new season approaching, the club is faced with a crucial test. The club needs to balance finances, while also building a competitive squad. Barça Femení is not only Spain’s most successful women’s club but also a major source of talent for the national team, the same core that won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and, just weeks ago, reached the Euro 2025 final, where seven Barcelona players started. Therefore, how the club navigates these storms will not only decide its own future, but also the future of Spain’s women’s national team in the years that lie ahead.
Yash Desai is a renowned journalist with over 10+ years of experience covering sports around the world. He began his career as a News Reporter in Delhi, India, and got an opportunity to cover several World events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Games. He often felt that women’s sports are sidelined and given step-motherly treatment by the mainstream media. To bridge this gap and to build an equal playing field, Yash co-founded FemaleInSports and is currently working as a Lead Editor here.
